One Eye Laughing, The Other Eye Weeping: The Diary of Julie Weiss, Vienna, Austria to New York 1938 (Dear America Series) [Deluxe Edition] [Hardcover]

Barry Denenberg (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 2000 | Age Level: 9 and up

During the Nazi persecution of the Jews in Austria, twelve-year-old Julie escapes to America to live with her relatives in New York City.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 5-9-A story set in Vienna on the eve of World War II. Eleven-year-old Julie Weiss adores her rich and successful father, but is ambivalent toward her superficial mother. Step by step, the girl, her Jewish family, and their friends suffer from the violent persecution inflicted on them by the Nazis. Her mother commits suicide. Her father, one of the few Jews who foresaw what would happen, is able to send Julie to her mother's sister in America. There, in shock and despair, the child takes time to mend, but the kindness of her aunt, an actress, and her jolly husband help her to start a new life. The pace of the story quickens rapidly as conditions in Austria escalate from a pervasive anti-Semitism to life-threatening Nazism. Denenberg furnishes adequate foreshadowing in the Vienna portion, two mysteries in the United States section, and a satisfying family relationship (relevant to the two mysteries) that adds interest and contributes to an upbeat ending.
Marcia W. Posner, Holocaust Memorial and Educational Center of Nassau County, Glen Cove, NY
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

This entry in the Dear America series follows 13-year-old Julie Weiss through the pivotal year 1938, when the Nazis invade Austria. Julie's father is a beloved doctor in Vienna, her mother a social butterfly, her brother a Zionist. Although Julie knows she is Jewish it doesn't mean much to her until the Nazis come, and the Jewish population is terrorized; Julie's mother commits suicide rather than endure the coming horror. Dr. Weiss has had the foresight to give Julie English lessons and gets her to an aunt in New York. Here the story takes on a fairy-tale quality. Julie's aunt is a famous stage actress, and within a few short months Julie is appearing on the stage with her, to much acclaim. The book contains some omissions: no mention of Julie's trip from Vienna to New York, and after a few bad moments, not much questioning of what has become of her family. But author Denenberg does a good job of capturing what it must have been like for Viennese Jews, who felt secure with their lives and friendships only to find everything can change in a minute. Photos of Vienna and New York, as well as other information, are appended. Ilene Cooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Hardcover: 254 pages
• Publisher: Scholastic Inc.; 1st edition (October 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0439095182
• ISBN-13: 978-0439095181
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 5.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (61 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #339,543 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #63 in Books > Children's Books > Literature & Fiction > Historical Fiction > Holocaust

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book, One eye laughing, the other weeping, December 13, 2000

A Kid's Review

This review is from: One Eye Laughing, The Other Eye Weeping: The Diary of Julie Weiss, Vienna, Austria to New York 1938 (Dear America Series) (Hardcover)

Julie Weiss is a 14-year-old girl who is a Jewish rich girl, life may seem good and perfect for her until...Adolf Hitler, an "anti-Jewish" leader comes and brings terror to Vienna. Julie's best friend Sophy, is sent to England being adopted, Julie's mother commits suicide, her brother Max runs away, and her father sends her to America to be adopted by her aunt who was never heard from, all Jewish things were messed up. Julie will just be satified with her life but she worries about her father in Vienna. There is a fictional epligue and historical note and pictures of the era. I recommend this to 9-12-year-olds.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The View From a Jewish Teenager, October 27, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: One Eye Laughing, The Other Eye Weeping: The Diary of Julie Weiss, Vienna, Austria to New York 1938 (Dear America Series) (Hardcover)

After reading this book, I really learned about my heritage. Being Jewish, I understood Julie's point of view. The kids teasing her. The racism of neighbors and friends. But I never really was taught about how the Holocaust started. This book shows the true horror behind life in Austria for Jews. I love my copy and now I am keeping my own diary. I recommend it to anyone with a heart.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I loved this book!, November 18, 2000

A Kid's Review

This review is from: One Eye Laughing, The Other Eye Weeping: The Diary of Julie Weiss, Vienna, Austria to New York 1938 (Dear America Series) (Hardcover)

This is a wonderful book; don't judge it by the first few pages, though, because it doesn't start off right away. Julie Weiss is living a normal life in Vienna until it is taken over by Hitler. Jews are having their homes and workplaces destroyed, and Julie's own mother (among other people) commits suicide to avoid the Nazis. Julie is sent to America--all by herself--to live in New York with her Aunt Clara. This is a very good, very sad book about the Holocaust.